When it comes to protection against bad weather, a fleece vest is more than an apparel items that keeps one warm, as it often acts as a wind stopper too. Top manufacturers provide fleece vest designs that are durable to water and windproof at the same time since they rely on a combination of thermal fabrics with polyurethane membranes that encourages moisture elimination while preventing the cold air from getting inside. A good Polartec fleece vest for instance will make a wind breaker or a shell useless, since it incorporates all the features of these too, while reducing the weight of the general wear. It is good to know that the lower the number of layers necessary for the insulation, the higher the quality of the fleece vest. The price for such products also varies accordingly, meaning that you'll have to pay more if you are looking for top quality. The fleece vest usually proves highly useful whenever whether protection is necessary; thus, it perfectly applies to the moments when the activity level is reduced or intermittent, or when high performance is required under very bad weather conditions. In modern terms, the fleece vest is known as the soft shell. Depending on the design, the fleece vest can be two-layered or mono-layered. The tendency now is to replace the multi-layered variant with thinner but just as efficient alternatives. The ideal Polartec fleece vest is soft and resistant at the same time, and it comes without the noise and the stiffness associated with so many other materials used for various products of the kind. Certain wind blocker fleece vests are designed in such a way so as to enable air circulation within the fabric as such. Depending on the type of vest you want to purchase, you can choose a model suitable for mountain climbing, trekking, skiing and snowboarding. More recently, manufacturers have launched fabrics that are considered superior to the material used for the traditional fleece vest. This means that the weight as well as the number of layers were drastically reduced, while the insulation and protection level was preserved intact. The price for a fleece vest with innovative features will definitely be higher than that of a regular shell, yet when using it, you'll realize that it is worth every cent. To get a picture of what the new fleece vest models bring, you should have a look at the many Internet sites that promote sportswear. Moreover, it is definitely advisable that you start the search with recognized brand names so that you can get a clear opinion about what the relationship price-quality should be like.